Should Dungeon and Polyheadron be in the same magazine

[Mighty Halfling]

Who says that we read every single thing in Dungeon before?

Your question shows a lack of understanding of the issue.

Assume that the average Rolling Stone Subscriber reads 60% of the magazine.
Now, RS decides to split their magazine 50/50 with a new topic that they assume will have some cross-over appeal to their existing base. Obviously, some fraction of the existing base will NOT be interested in the new content. For that fraction that valuable portion of the magazine just dropped from 60% to 30%.

Expecting to like everything in the magazine would be absurd, and in this case is a completely flawed analysis.

Their intent was to add appeal to more readers and keep both magazines afloat. They did this by merging the two magazines that were bi-monthly and make them monthly at approximately the same page count.
Now everybody's mad because this evil "Polyhedron" is eating into their Dungeon adventures.
Longtime Dungeon subscribers are upset that their baby has changed. New readers like the idea of its broad appeal.
Sounds like I understand the issue.
You're Rolling Stone example is incorrect because RS would have to be published bi-weekly, merge with another pop culture magazine, say Video Game Monthly, and then split the coverage in the same-sized, but more frequently published magazine.
No matter, I vote with my subscribtion (and ocassional multiple purchases for cool maps), just like you do. Who will win? That's another question entirely.

 

[Felon]

For those who don't like paying for Poly ... Do you subscribe to Time, Newsweek, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly and read every single article? Some how I doubt it, why should you expect that every single article in Dungeon/Polyhedron should appeal to you too?

By using an "every single article" scenario, you're setting up a straw man. Obviously, not every single article can be of interest to every single reader.

However, if I subscribed to one of those publications you mentioned, I would expect to find something appealing in each issue. If that consistently was not the case, I wouldn't continue to subscribe. Same goes for subscribing to the daily newspaper. It's a simple economic decision that I suspect most people would make.

Of course, comparing Dungeon to Newsweek or Rolling Stone is erroneous to begin with. Dungeon is designed to have an aspect of utility that a news or entertainment magazine doesn't.

Not to mention most if not all of those mags have a cheaper page count.

Yes, I know the others are mass market magazines with a broad appeal, but I bet that's what Paizo is striving for too.

A broad appeal for a niche hobby? It's unlikely they're striving for that sort of distribution.

 

[Mighty Halfling]

By using an "every single article" scenario, you're setting up a straw man. Obviously, not every single article can be of interest to every single reader.

However, if I subscribed to one of those publications you mentioned, I would expect to find something appealing in each issue. If that consistently was not the case, I wouldn't continue to subscribe. Same goes for subscribing to the daily newspaper. It's a simple economic decision that I suspect most people would make.

Of course, comparing Dungeon to Newsweek or Rolling Stone is erroneous to begin with. Dungeon is designed to have an aspect of utility that a news or entertainment magazine doesn't.

Not to mention most if not all of those mags have a cheaper page count.



A broad appeal for a niche hobby? It's unlikely they're striving for that sort of distribution.

It's not an erroneous comparison. It's just me using "name brand" magazine names. We could do the same with a computer magazine and a DVD magazine, a motorcycle magazine and a 4-wheeler magazine and so on.
Also, let me re-emphasize and clarify my previous statement:
I know the OTHERS (Time, Rolling Stone, etc.) are mass market magazines with a BROAD APPEAL, but I bet that's what Paizo is striving for too.
I mean that Paizo wants Dungeon/Poly to be of broader appeal to gamers, not the public at large.
----
Finally, out of public disclosure, let me mention that I have written 2 free-lance articles for Dungeon. Still, I sometimes am more eager to read stuff from Poly than Dungeon.

 

[diaglo]

i have every single issue of Dungeon.

and i treasure my issues of Poly from back in the 80's.

let me just say....i don't use either Dungeon or Poly anymore. they don't carry material for my game of interest. you know...real D&D.

but i am still maintaining my Dungeon Subscription...even if the distribution is quirky right now.

 

[Ranger REG]

but i am still maintaining my Dungeon Subscription...even if the distribution is quirky right now.

Oh, please, diaglo. Don't do that out of charity. Makes you less of a genius.

 

[BryonD]

You're Rolling Stone example is incorrect because RS would have to be published bi-weekly, merge with another pop culture magazine, say Video Game Monthly, and then split the coverage in the same-sized, but more frequently published magazine.

That is a trivial distinction because the content value would still decrease.
If it goes from 60% value to 30% value for the same price or from 60% value to 60% value at double the price is just smoke.

 

[scourger]

thanks Keith

Another thank you to Keith for posting on this thread.

For me, Dungeon (now with Polyhedron) is consistently the best value in gaming (and has been for about 10 years).

Keep it up.

 

[beverson]

Can you? I'm not doubting you, but I'm very surprised. I have never seen an issue of Dungeon or even Dragon at anyplace other than an FLGS (except of course in my mailbox).

Before I got my subscription, I was buying mine at either Media Play, Borders,
or Barnes and Noble, whichever I happened to be closer to at the time.

So, it appears that there are several non-FLGS locations where it can be
found.

 

[woodelf]

Why should I pay for content that I will never use?

If it's cheaper than not paying for it? If, due to economies of scale, they can bring you X pages of Dungeon, spread out over 12 monthly issues (and with a roughly-equal amount of Polyhedron content that you don't want), for cheaper than they could give you the same X pages, divided into 6 bimonthly issues (but without the Polyhedron content), what are you losing?

(Mind you, i don't like it, either. I'd rather have Polyhedron without all the useless Dungeon content. But i'd rather have Polyhedron/Dungeon combo, than not have Polyhedron at all.)

 

[billd91]

Before I got my subscription, I was buying mine at either Media Play, Borders,
or Barnes and Noble, whichever I happened to be closer to at the time.

So, it appears that there are several non-FLGS locations where it can be
found.

Before I subscribed, I was getting them at my local grocery store. Seriously.